Crate



C. L. AUSTIN.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1919.

. 71,335,635. Patented Mr.30.;1920. K

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llhllTEDV STATES FATFT FFIQE,

- CLAUDE L. AUSTIN', OF SULLIVAN, INDIANA.

CRATE.

Application led April 25, 1919.

Be it known that I, CLAUDE L. AUSTIN, a citizen oit the llnited States, residing atV Sullivan, in the countjsT of Sullivan and State ot `indiana, have vinvented new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which the tollowing isa speciication.

This invention relates to crates of the lfnoclrdown or collapsible type, Vthe object being to provide a crate of simple and du- 'able construction, which rnay be easily set up or readily collapsed so as to occupy a ininilnuni space for storage or shipment.

.another object or the invention is to provide a crate of novel construction, in which the bottom, top, sides and ends are provided with interengaging cleats secured together with a hinged rod, permitting oi the ready separation ot the various ineinbers for the purpose oit cleaning` or replacingl broken parts.

A Yfurther object is to provide a crate of the above character in which cleats are used for holding` the crate assembled, these cleats being also utilized tor removably and Vrigidly holding a partition within the crate so that the latter may be divided into separate compartments.

@the-r objects and advantages or' the invention will appear as the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing:

In the drawings:

Figure -1 is a perspective view oit the crate embodying` the present invention.

Fig. `2 is a transevr'se sectional View oit the same. y

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. 4; is a horizontal sectional view, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view with the crate collapsed.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts the bottom wall of the crate is indicated at 10, and is made up of a plurality of strips secured together by end cleats or battens 11 and a center cleat or batten 12. Secured along,` one edge of the bottom lO is a strip 13, which forms one section of one side wall of the crate and is provided with end cleats or blocks 14 and intermedin ate spaced cleats or blocks 15, the latter straddling the center cleat 12 of the bottoni 10 and being spaced slightly from the sides of the said cleat, while the former, that is Specicaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 350, 1920.

seran no. 292,581.

the cleats or blocks 14 are located adjacent the end cleats l1. Located along the opposite side edge ot the bottom 10 is another upright strip 1G, the height oit which is less than the height of the strip 13.

One oi' the side walls is indicated at 17 and is adapted to be secured within an edge of the strip 16, this side Wall being cornposed ot llnigitudinallyvv disposed spaced strips 1S and transverse strips or cleats 19 and 20, the former being` arranged adjacent to but spaced from the ends of the strips ifi., whil the latter is located intermediate the strips or cleats 19. The cleats 19 and 20 varc arranged in pairs, the former being adapted to receive the strips or cleats 11 of the bottoni 10, while the latter receives the intermediate cleatr 12. The side section 1T is removably secured to the bottom 10 through the lnediuin of a hinge rod 21, which passes through apertures formed in the cleats 11-12 and 19 and 20.

The opposite side wall is composed of the strips 13' which form one section of the wall and a removable section 22, t Le latter being` formed of 23 and transverse strips or cleats 2li and 25, which like the cleats 19 and 20 are arranged in pairs. The ends of the cleats 24 are adapted to straddle the blocks or cleats le,

while the ends orf' the cleats are receivedA between the blocks or cleats 15, the two sections O the side walls being` secured together through the medium oi aV hinged rod 26, which passes through registering apertures in the cleats after the manner of the side sections 17 previously described. Y.

rEhe top wall is formed of a main section 27, which is hingedly secured to the section 22 oi the side wall just described and a pair of sections 28 which are hingedly secured to the side section 17. The section 27 is formed oi spaced longitudinal strips which extend the entire length of the crate and which are held together by transverse cleats 29 and 30, the former engaging between the cleats 19 and 24, while the latter engages between the cleats 2O and 25. The hinged rod 31 serves to connect the main section 27 of the top wall to the side sections 22. The sections 28 are approximately one half the length of the crate and are formed of longitudinally disposed strips and transverse cleats, the latter being indicated at 32. These cleats are hingedly secured to the side sections 17 through the medium of a hinged spaced longitudinal strips pin or rod 33 and may be opened independently of one another and of the top section 27.

rlhe end Walls are formed of longitudinal strips 34 and transverse cleats 35, the latter ranged in pairs upon opposite sides of the strips 36 and extending slightly below and above the bottom and vtop strips 36. This construction provides notches between the cleats 37 at each end thereof for engagement with the cleat 12 of the bottom 10 and the, cleat 30 ofthe top wall 27, and as the end cleats 37 ofthe removable partition are spaced. slightly Jfrom the ends of said strips 36, the ends of these strips may enter the space between the cleats 2,0 and of the side walls of the crate. Y

The foregoing described constructionprovides an interlocking engagementY between all of the various members or walls of the crate resulting in an absolutely rigid structure, which may be readily taken apart if desired or collapsed for storage or shipment. Bymakingallof the sections of the crate readily removable, the crate may be thoroughly cleaned and kept in a sanitary condition for the vshipment of fowl.

In collapsing the crate, the top sections 27 and 28 aregraised and the end walls are removed'from between the side walls and are placed within the crate to one side of the cleat 12. The partition. is then placed upon the other side of the cleat and the side sec- The invention is susceptible of various changesvin its form, proportion and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly all within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. A crate comprising separable bottom, side, end and top walls, transversely disposed cleats carried by the bottom and top walls, pairs of spaced transversely disposed cleats carried bv the side walls to form channels for the reception of the cleats cai ried by the bottom and-top walls and for the reception oi' the ends of the end walls, a removable partition Vengageable with the cleats of the side walls and transversely arranged vertically disposed parallel cleats carried by said partition yextending above and below the same to provide notches for engagement with the cleats of the bottom and top walls and the hinged rod passing` through registering openings in the cleatsot the bottom, top and side walls.

2. A crate comprising separable bottom, side, end and top walls, transversely disposed cleats carried by the bottom and top walls, rigid members of different heights extending along each of the side edges of the bottom wall, pairs of parallel transversely disposed cleats carried by the sideV walls, said spaced cleats forming channels for the reception of the cleats of the bottom and top walls and for the ends of the end walls, removable sections for the top wall, said removable sections having transverse cleats for engagement with the cleats of one of the side walls, a removable partition engageable with the cleats of the bottom, top and side walls and hinged rods passing through registering openings in said cleats for holding the walls of the crate together.

ln testimony whereof l aliix my signature.

CLAUDE L. AUSTIN. 

